Luis Majano and Brad Wood talk about "BoxLang modern JVM language that runs CFML code (new CFML engine and much more)" in this episode of ColdFusion Alive Podcast with host Michaela Light.

"…BX is the acronym we use a lot like our file extensions are analogous to the cold fusion file extensions. So a CFM file, we call that bxm For box Lang markup, CMS, which Lucy six had his support for, which is cold fusion script".

Show notes What is BoxLang?

A new language for the JVM that includes CFML
Inspired by cool CF, Groovy, Rust, Go, PHP etc
Compiles into Java byte code, just like CF
A new language for 2024 and beyond
Not just targeting web server - see below for all runtime targets
7 MB core
- Tidy and lightweight core
  - Super fast start up time in 100-200ms
  - ACF core 120 to 300 MB
  - Lucee core 20 to 120 - 300 MB
  - Node 80 MB
- Add on modules for different target runtimes
  - Similar in ideas to ACF and Lucee packages
Target runtimes
- Web Server
- Miniserver
- Serverless
- Jakarta
- Android
- Web assembly
- Command line use
Modules are designed from the start vs separated out as in ACF or Lucee
- Using tight Java libraries that are different from ACF or Lucee libraries
Drastic architecture differences
- No OSGi copies
  - See below for what OSGi is
- MVP for this language
- Created to be extensive in the core from the start
- Not a monolith
- Super strict on 3rd party JARs added to the core due to features in the modern JDK
  - Oracle improvements in Java language and JVM
  - Java 21 or higher only
- Other JVM that are based on Oracle JVM 21 or higher
- Fixes old syntax and function naming inconsistencies from CFML backwards compatible
- Has two parsers
  - Antler parser library for BoxLang code
  - 100% legacy CFML code via transpiler
- AST = Abstract Syntax Tree
  - This is what compiles to Java byte code
  - Linting and code quality metric tool and VS-code extension IntelliSense and semantics of the language.
  - Open source AST so easy to extend and hook into it.
  - In-line debugger is built in with scope introspection
- Can innovate in BoxLang language without breaking legacy CFML

Transpiling

- Dynamic and can continue to edit legacy CFML code
- Or one-time translate to BoxLang language (BX)
- Can you translate back from BoxLang to CMFL?
  - Not currently and technically it can be done - it is open source
  - The syntax is very close to CFML script and tags
- Why
- Not tag first language - it is script first then adds components / class (aka tag)

What is it really?

- JVM
- 100% interoperable with Java
  - No bridge like ACF or Lucee
  - Extend from Java classes
  - Import Java classes
- Framework capabilities built into BoxLang
  - Event-driven programming
  - Event listeners and extension is built-in
- Cache engine built-in
  - vs added on
  - Can talk to Redis and Couchbase
- Async and parallel programming
  - Built into the core from Java
  - vs adding in Quartz Java library to do this
- Easy unit testing of tasks
- Keep the CFML productivities of RAD coding
- BoxLang templating language
  - Like Groovy GSP
- Most modern JVM language
  - More modern than ACF, Lucee OR all other JVM languages such as Groovy, Clojure, Kotlin, Rust etc
  - Super dynamic language with built-in dynamic concepts from the modern Java engine vs a 3rd party library
- Comparison chart to other languages?
  - Coming in future
  - Why are most modern languages similar in appearance?
    - Common programming metaphors over time are used with similar syntax.
    - But under the hood, they are different engines
    - Tooling
    - IDE
    - Community

Is ACF or Lucee embedded in BoxLang?

- No
- ACF is closed source
- Lucee - separate development. Chinese wall separation of BoxLang development.
- Can see the full source code edit history in GitHub which shows it is not a fork from Lucee

What about QA on the language?

- 6000 automated tests in GitHub

Why did you create it?

- A lot of work to make a new compiler etc
- Alternatives not taken
  - Suggest features to ACF
    - Tried. Too radical a change
    - Have done for years. They have their own limitations.
    - Tickets exist for these feature requests
  - Pull requests to Lucee for a fork
    - Looked at this for several months
    - Lack of docs from the lead of the Lucee open-source project
    - Major architecture differences with a fresh start
    - Tickets exist for these features for years
- New JVM language without the emotional baggage of taggy CF

Fast release cycles

- Weekly release cycles
- Lucee monthly releases
- ACF annual release plus as needed hotfixes
- CI process to immediate deployment